Stills

I like the way this landscape is framed/cropped so that the full track of the river is not visible. It highlights the segmented nature of the image and works very well. As rex mentioned, the glow works well too. Are those sheep?

Just out of curiosity John were you tripod mounted for this one?
 

Thanks Rex and Johnjo.

Yes, sheep! Nearly double the human population in Wales. No, not taken with a tripod, although it should have been as I was battling with the lower end of my telephoto. The shutter speed was what I normally use to combat shake but the ISO setting was 400, which may account for some slight coarseness - or there may have been a tiny bit of shake!

Rex - did you check your photo album?
 

Yes and I've done the trip to this valley in a LR twice. The route we took both times was to start at Rhiwanant on a RUPP and to drive NW towards Cerrigcwplau where we had to ford the river coming from our left. At the base of the dam there is a bridge where we crossed the river to get to a BOAT which then went round the northern side of the Claerwen Reservoir rejoining the road at Tynfron.
On both occasions I remember a good drive and stunning countryside and wildlife (Red Kites). Even friendly natives! This drive could no longer be done legally due to the demotion of RUPPs to bridleways. One of the drives required us to tow a grockle's car out of the BOAT where he had illegally obstructed the entrance.

I could imagine that you were standing at Cerrigwplau with the dam behind and to your left, looking to the south east, the river we forded is in front and the river with the RUPP beside it is the one receeding to the distance. But I don't think it is!

I enjoyed looking at my old photos and reading my write up.
 

We got to Cerrigwplau, but by the metalled road. We contemplated driving on that track you took to Tynfron but had been advised at the visitor centre (closed for the winter one week later) that there was a section at the far end that was now too dodgy. My picture is not where you think but up to the North East - one turns right at the edge of Rhayader and comes in to the complex of lakes at the top. So the water at the top of this picture heads South to join the main group. Claerwen would be South West about 5 miles. In late October the central section of the reservoir was at about 20% capacity.

Red kites are now very plentiful in Wales and we have a couple that fly above the holding from time to time.
 

There seems to be strange 'focus' issues happening to the bottom-most line of water which detracts from my overall liking of this shot. Again, its not a typical interpretation of a regular photographic opportunity. The colours are muted yet glowing which compliment well with the mirror like quality of the water.
 

I do so like monochromatic landscapes :-)

I'd like this a lot if it didn't trip over my pet dislike of out of focus foregrounds. As it is, I enjoy the colours, the light, the composition and the crop. The play on 'where is the horizon?' is great.

You've made this look like good walking countryside. I hope that there are not too many fences.
 

Colin - there is no doubt that this should have been a tripod shot. Next time!

Good walking; and one of the upland areas that isn't fenced (apart from along roads through the valley).